Lighter cover biasing spring



A. DUBSKY LIGHTER COVER BIASING SPRING FiledDeG. l0, 1954 nice LIGHTERCOVER BIASING SPRING Arthur Dubsky, Elmhurst, N. Y.

Application December 10, 1954, Serial No. 474,542 '2 claims. (c1.S7-7.1)

This invention relates tospring `assemblies comprising a leaf springfixed to a normally stationary structure, which may have a first membermovably arranged relative thereto on one side of said stationary.structure and on the other side said structure may carry pivot meansmounting a lever member having two lever arms one of which is adapted toengage said stationary structure in one limiting position of said levermember, whereas the leafspring may comprise two outer portions engagingsaid first member and the other arm of said lever member, respectively,to perform independent spring functions.

The invention will be described hereinafter for illustration withreference to its use in a lighter, in which said normally stationarystructure comprises a casing having a narrow side wall and a fuel tankpositioned in said casing and having a top wall and a narrow side wallfacing and spaced from said narrow side wall of the casing, and in whichone arm of said lever member forms a cover movable into a closedposition, whereas a wick holder is affixed `on the top wall of said fueltank.

Known lighters of this type comprise a leaf spring which is fixed to thefuel tank and with one outer portion engages the other arm of the leveror cover member whereas with the -other outer portion it secures awindguard, forming the first movable member and mounted on the frictionwheel shaft of the lighter, in its effective position.

It is an object of the invention to provide a spring assembly of thetype described, which provides for a relatively large spring force to beexercised by one of said outer spring portions, e. g. on the cover, inspite of a relatively short length of the spring.

It is another objectof the invention to provide a spring assembly of thetype described which requires relatively little space.

Other objects of the invention will 'become apparent as thespecification proceeds. j

It is a feature of the invention to provide in a spring assembly whichcomprises a normally stationary structure and a leaf spring having acentral portion fixed to said stationary structure and two outerportions for performing independent spring functions, the combination ofmeans holding one of said outer portions for at least part of its lengthin engagement with said stationary structure, and a lug integral withsaid one outer portion and projecting from the surface thereof betweensaid central portion and the outer end of said length part held inengagement with said stationary structure, said lug being arranged toperform the spring function of said one outer portion.

It is another feature of the invention to provide a spring assembly in alighter comprising a casing having a narrow side wall, a fuel tankpositioned in said casing and comprising a top wall and a narrow sidewall facing and spaced from said narrow side Wall of said casing, a wickholder affixed to said top wall, and a cover member pivotally mounted onsaid casing at the top end of said narrow side wall thereof and movableinto a closed posi- Patented oct. 15,1951

tion, said cover member having -two lever arms one of which forms acover movable into a closed position, said spring assembly comprising aleaf spring having a portion affixed to said top wall by means of saidwick holder and an outer portion extending between said narrow sidewalls of said casing and tank and held for part of its length inengagement with said narrow side wall of said tank, said outer portionbeing formed with a lug projectingfrom the surface thereof between saidaffixed portion and the outer end of said length part held in engagementwith said side wall, said lug being arranged to engage the otherarm ofsaid cover member in said closed position to exercise thereon a forcetending to hold said cover in said closed position.

`According to the invention the leaf spring, which is connected to thefuel tank and at least partly extends along the top wall and theadjacent narrow side wall of the fuel tank, is formed at a pointintermediate the ends of the spring with a lug which is bent, e. g.,from a U- shaped cut provided in the spring and which engages the coverin the closed position thereof at an edge close to the pivotal axis ofthe cover.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing, which shows two differentconstructions and modes of fixation of the leaf spring in lighters.

Fig. l is a side view showing the lighter partly in longitudinalsection,

Fig. 2 shows a first embodiment of a leaf spring for the lighter of Fig.l, in extended, straight form.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing part of the lighterprovided with a leaf spring having an outer end which is rigidly aixedby a spot weld to the narrow side wall of the fuel tank.

The casing 1 is closed by a cover 2 pivoted on hinge 3 and contains thefuel tank 4, which can be pulled out (Fig. l). The tank has fixed to itstop end. wall 5 the wick holder 6 and a bearing bracket 7 with thefriction wheel shaft 8, on which the friction wheel 9 is rotatably andthe windguard 1@ is pivotally mounted. A leaf spring 12 engages with itsupper or first outer part 13 the top end wall 5, with the end of itslower or second outer portion 14 the narrow side wall 17, facing thecover hinge 3, and an inwardly extending transition wall 16 of the fueltank. The bent-up forked end 18 of the spring portion 13 (Fig. 2) bearsin the manner known on the shorter arm of the windguard to hold it inits effective position. The second outer portion 14 of the leaf springhas a U-shaped cut 15, from which is bent a lug 19, which engages thefree inner edge 20 of a lug 21 affixed to the cover 2 and projectinginwardly from the hinge 3. As with the known lighters of the typedescribed, the outer portion 14 of the spring exercises on the cover 4 aturning moment in the closing sense by its resilient engagement with thelug 21. In the present case, this resilient engagement is effected bymeans of the lug 19. The upper portion 13 of the leaf spring may beaffixed to the end wall 5 m-ost simply by means of the wick holder 6engaging the central portion of the spring, whereas the spring portion14 is fitted with its lower end, which is suitably of reduced width, ina transverse slot 11 of the side wall 17 of the tank in the firstembodiment.

Alternatively, the spring may be connected to the tank by rivets, spotwelds, or soldered joints, if this is convenient in manufacture.

in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 the lower end of the spring portion 14is rigidly connected by a spot weld 23 to the narrow side wall of thetank.

What I claim is:

l. A spring assembly in a lighter comprising a casing having a narrowside wall, a fuel tank positioned in said casing and comprising a topwall and a narrow side wall facing and spaced from said narrow side wallof the casing, and a cover member pivotally mounted on said casing andhaving a lever arm, said spring assembly comprising a leaf spring havinga central portion Xed to. the top. wallV ofsaid fuel tank, and two outerportions for performing independent spring functions, one of said routerportions extending between said narrow side walls of said casing andtank and having an outer end which is rigidly and non-removably axed tosaid narrow side wall of said. tank, said' one outer portion beingformedwith a Ushaped cut and with a lug bent from said cut, said lug beingarranged to engage the lever arm of said cover member in its closedposition to exercise thereon a force tending to hold said cover in saidclosed position.

2. A spring assembly in a lighter comprising a casing having a narrowside wall, a fuel tank positioned in said casing` and comprising a topwall and a narrow side wall facing and spaced from said narrow side wallofthe casing and a, cover member pivotally mounted on said easing andhaving a lever arm, said spring assembly comprising a leaf spring havinga central portion xed to the top wall vof said fuel tank, and two outerportions f-or performing independent spring functions, one of said outerportions extending between said narrow side walls of said casing and thetank and having an outer end which is rigidly and nonremovably aixed bya spot weld to said narrow side wall of said tank, said one outerportion being formed witha Ur-shaped cut and with a lug bent froml saidcut, said lug being arranged to engage the lever arm of said covermember in its closed position to exercise thereon. a force tending tohold said cover in said closed position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,524,239 Taylor Oct. 3, 1950 2,661,617 Treiss Dec. 8, 1953 2,713,255lHubel` a July 19", 1955

